MANCHESTER – Thunderstorms that swept through Coffee County this week complicated the first day of security at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival as thousands of festivalgoers arrived in mud-soaked fields.

By Thursday afternoon, there had been a handful of citations and arrests, Coffee County Sheriff's Office Capt. Frank Watkins said. The office does not release final arrest details until after the festival.

The business of keeping tens of thousands of Bonnaroo attendees safe during the four-day camping festival, which began Thursday, falls to the Coffee County Sheriff's Office and about a half dozen other law-enforcement agencies, in addition to private security firms hired by organizers.

"There's been a bit of a problem due to the weather, with the rain and it being a big field — those two things really don't mix," Watkins said. "They've been able to traverse that."

When fans arrive at the festival, they go through security checkpoints where vehicles and camping gear are inspected. Watkins said officers are searching for narcotics and anything that could be used as a weapon. Glass and knives are banned.

In addition to the Sheriff's Office, the Coffee County District Attorney uses a task force that includes officers from other area law-enforcement agencies. The Tennessee Highway Patrol and Manchester Police also have officers on duty, Watkins said.

For the Sheriff's Office, Bonnaroo means 25-30 officers on extended shifts of at least 12 hours. Watkins said the office, which has only 42 officers, must utilize its reserve unit during Bonnaroo.

To further complicate efforts this year, the Sheriff's Office dedicated resources to a murder-and-cannibalism case, which ended in an arrest this week.

"We start working to get ready for Bonnaroo a month and a half before, and that really did put a hurt on us," Watkins said. "We put a lot of resources working that case that aren't able to be here." That's a pretty big case, something that's unheard of in our county."

To instill an environment of safety, organizers maintain a "Bonnaroo Code," which includes basic suggestions like "stay hydrated" and "radiate positivity."

The code also discourages illegal drug use and over-consumption of alcohol.

"One of the things we put a lot of effort over the last 3 or 4 years is distinctive messaging for how to do Bonnaroo safely, do it properly, interact with staff," said Rick Farman, co-founder of Superfly Presents, which runs the festival along with AC Entertainment.

"We hit people with the message pre-event, when they get their ticket package, when they arrive, the signs, the programs you get. The code is woven throughout the messaging we have."

Reach Nate Rau at 615-259-8094 and on Twitter @tnnaterau

Tracking fans

Bonnaroo also includes an intricate security system that employs computerized wristbands that fans must use to enter Centeroo festival area. This year, fans can synchronize their wristbands with the Bonnaroo application on their smartphones and enter an emergency contact and other personal information.